Here it is.......the next diversion, right on schedule.

[ClintonTyree]

I knew it would be coming soon, but not quite this soon.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030713/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_al_qaida_2


Iraq Group Claims al-Qaida Links, Attacks
1 hour, 20 minutes ago


CAIRO, Egypt - A group claiming to be an Iraqi branch of al-Qaida said it is behind recent attacks on U.S. forces — not Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) — according to a videotape aired on an Arab TV station Sunday. The tape couldn't be immediately verified.


Al-Arabiya, a satellite station based in Dubai, aired the 4-minute video showing a black-and-white still photograph of an unidentified man dressed like an Islamic cleric in a robe and white turban. He has a long white beard, also typical of Islamic clerics.


A distorted male voice reads a message warning American forces to "leave Iraq (news - web sites)'s territories and to live up to their promises."


The voice describes himself as a member of the "Islamic Armed Group of al-Qaida, Fallujah branch." He says his group is behind the attacks against U.S. forces in Iraq.


"By God, not one of (Saddam's) followers carried out any of the Jihadi (holy war) operations like he claims," the voice said, saying "our Mujahedeen brothers" did instead.


The voice promised more attacks: "The coming days ... will show you the strike that will break America's back."


The claim is the first by a purported Iraqi group linking itself to Osama bin Laden (news - web sites)'s terrorist network.


An executive from the station had no details on the man pictured in the video, which was delivered recently to the station's Baghdad office,


U.S. forces in Iraq have been targeted daily by ambushes, and dozens have died, including in Fallujah, an especially restive city west of Baghad.

[trof]

1. If it's meant to be a diversion

it fails.
Now they can't say it's just a few of Saddam's remnants.
I don't see how this gets anyone off the hook.
And the hook gets bigger every day.

[nostamj]

4. diversion: the war on terra is a failure too!!!

al Qaeda strengthening!

thanks george!

don't worry, they'll just stay long enough to pick up those WMDs and get them on their way to Des Moines and...

[trof]

7. "Bring 'em on"?

Okey doakey, here we come.
shit

[Cha]

9. It's worse ..because it is al qaida who is killing our kids...

and it wouldn't be happening if we hadn't gone over there, especially on false pretenses.

[Jacobin]

13. PREEEEEEECISELY

Was struggling to find the words to state that obvious fact, and you did it for me.

Excellent. This will go over like a lead balloon.

[nostamj]

23. and at the same time...

a huge FU in *'s face from the terrorists that he promised to 'smoke out' of their holes... well george, they're out of their holes aren't they???

psst.... are you safer than you were four years ago?

[Cha]

24. ANd this is what we were afraid would happen when we ...

were marching to stay out of Iraq!
:kick:

[Cocoa]

2. this is bad for Bush

they've been saying that this is remnants of the old regime. Yet ANOTHER intelligence failure? al Qaeda has been killing American troops and they had no clue?

Another problem for them is that the Iraq operation can be seen as helping al Qaeda. al Qaeda had no presence in Iraq under Hussein, now they're establishing themselves there, like they did in Afghanistan?

[NYC]

3. I don't see it as a diversion, just a change of excuse.

In the past, we invaded Iraq because of WMD. Since there aren't any, we attacked Iraq because it is part of the War on "Terra".

It won't change the fact they LIED.

[grasswire]

6. What????????????????

A black and white still photo of someone in clerical garb is all the video shows. A "distorted" voice reads a message.

Sounds real convincing. (pfffffffft)

[Skittles]

19. yeah

Karl Rove's voice.

[linazelle]

22. Can you say...special operations?

a plant if I ever heard of one.

[Ripley]

5. I claim to be the Ruler of the Universe!!

Therefore, dismiss all previous stories of LIAR BUSH!!!

yukety yuk yuk!

The media will follow this blood trail...

[number9]

8. I'm not surprised

there are probably 100 different groups that hate the US right about now. I don't think it'll work as a diversion.

[Donna Zen]

10. Saddam vs al-Qaida

Saddam didn't tolerate much, and he certainly didn't tolerate al-Qaida. Who's in control of the country? Reminder: not Saddam.

[RainDog]

11. Al-Q was Saddam's enemy

in Iraq, Al-Q was repressed by Saddam. this is why the claims that he and they were aligned (and that Iraq was behind 9-11) are ludicrous.

The issue for many, including me, is and was..what happens when you overthrow Saddam? What will the fundamentalists in that country do? Will they gain power and represent more of a threat to America?

the Fundamentalists, because of the mosques, are one of the few groups with the organizational power to gain political power as well, whether or not the majority of Iraqis want to be a theocracy.

So, if we went in to "liberate" the Iraqis, then we should have made sure we protected them from the threat of another ayatollah. Which leads me to the real concern that Rummy did not commit enough troops, since he and Cheney and Bush were so intent on going in.

They now claim they invaded early to stop oil fires from being set by the Republican Guard. maybe...I don't believe anything from them anymore.

So this isn't a distraction, as I see it. This is a very real issue about what happens in Iraq when you invade, and how do you protect the people you claim you want to liberate (at least those you didn't bomb or expose to depleted uranium.)

[ClintonTyree]

12. Wouldn't this...........

fortify Bush's al-Qaida/Sadaam connection? He's pretty weak on that score, this would seem to bolster his claims.

[RainDog]

14. Rummy claimed today

on Meet The Press, that it's just remnants of the Republican Guard who are attacking Americans.

No doubt there are RGs attacking Americans...and hoping to foster an uprising against our soldiers via guerilla war...that's the whole purpose of guerilla war.

BUT, civil war was (and is) a big concern in Iraq because of the various factions there...Kurds, Shi'ites, Sunnis..

would Iraqis be better off with civil war, or with UN pressure and diplomcacy ? we'll never know now.

we will know, over time, whether this invasion was good for America (and our supposed goal to make us and the world safer from terrorism) and for the Iraqi people.

however, theUS has a TERRIBLE record in our interventions in Iraq, and I would not be surprised if they turned against our troops (who, I would be, are mostly unaware of that history).

[aquart]

15. Did al quaida exist in Iraq before we attacked?

Or were they invited in BECAUSE we attacked?

How long does it take to form a cell and teach a ticked teenager to build a bomb?

Thank you, George.

[RainDog]

18. Al-Q was in Kurdish north

from what I understand, Al-Q was kept from the centers of power and were in the northern part of Iraq.

In addition to Al-Q, there is a huge population of Shi'ite muslims who share a religious orientation with Iran.

before Saddam, the big center for Shi'ites was in Iraq...the ancient city of...probably have this wrong...Ur?

Saddam kept the shi'ites from uniting, which is no doubt one reason our govt propped him up and armed him for so long (while ignoring his human rights abuses, too...as in when Rummy met and shook his hand).

Rummy is claiming it's only the RG who are attacking. when it's clear it's also Al-Q, no doubt the Bushitters will try to plant the idea that they are connected, if that could help them in any way, politically.

[ClintonTyree]

16. I'm just thinking of the possible...............

spin on this. Would the administrtion use this to once again pull the wool over the public's eyes? "We told you that Sadaam and al Qaida were conspiring to attack Americans". It just smells funny to me.

[nolabels]

25. They could only get Yahoo to tender the story, what's up with that?

They should have at least got a little ink on it
http://www.antiwar.com/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A47665-2003Jul12
Ex-Officials Dispute Iraq Tie to al-Qaida
By MATT KELLEY
The Associated Press
Saturday, July 12, 2003; 12:42 PM


WASHINGTON - As President Bush works to quiet a controversy over his discredited claim of Iraqi uranium shopping in Africa, another of his prewar assertions is coming under fire: the alleged link between Saddam Hussein's regime and al-Qaida.

Before the war, Bush and members of his cabinet said Saddam was harboring top al-Qaida operatives and suggested Iraq could slip the terrorist network chemical, biological or even nuclear weapons. Now, two former Bush administration intelligence officials say the evidence linking Saddam to the group responsible for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks was never more than sketchy at best.

"There was no significant pattern of cooperation between Iraq and the al-Qaida terrorist operation," former State Department intelligence official Greg Thielmann said this week.
(snip)

[msmcghee]

17. Yeah, but . .

. . wouldn't any group who wants to kill US GI's say whatever they thought would damage *Bush the most. Like did they sign some kind of honesty pledge when signing up.

[janx]

20. I don't think of it as a diversion so much as I do a CONSEQUENCE--

one many of us predicted before the Iraq war. We knew it would incite more terror and violence and that Al Qaeda would jump into the act at the first opportunity.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

21. Bush is a complete failure at national defense

Isn't that obvious to everyone? I think the Democrats should hammer Bush on his inability to protect us from terrorism and sending our military into pointless, unwinnable wars.

[Rose Siding]

26. It was his policy that brought this about!

What kind of "security" policy strengthens enemies, costs allies and empties treasuries?

We warned them. Most of the dems in Congress warned them. They should have listened.

[Friar]

27. yup

What a crock. It's getting some negative reporting though. Maybe the media is getting as scared as the rest of us, finally.

[HalfManHalfBiscuit]

28. Of course there is an Iraqi branch of al-Qaida

You think?

I'm pretty sure there are American, Canadian, German, British, French... branches also.

That's the problem. Those bastards are everywhere.

[Sick of Bullshit]

29. Yeah, so was Immanual Goldstein

and Savoir-Faire, Klondike Kat's arch nemesis

When in doubt, say "Al Qaida did it!"